Baton Rouge, La., Sep 30, 2014 / 04:44 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Nearly 20 organizations, both Catholic and other denominations of Christian, have joined the Diocese of Baton Rouge in asking the Supreme Court to protect a priest from being forced to violate the Seal of Confession. The group heading the support for the diocese, Catholic Action for Faith and Family, stated it “fully supports the Diocese of Baton Rouge’s position that ‘civil courts are entirely without jurisdiction … [Read more...]

Kansas City, Mo., Sep 30, 2014 / 02:59 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph has confirmed that an archbishop has held a visitation on behalf of the Vatican and met with Bishop Robert Finn, but cannot talk about the reasons for the visit. Jack Smith, communications director for the diocese, confirmed that Archbishop Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa visited the diocese on behalf of the Congregation for Bishops and met with Bishop Finn. “Bishop Finn was informed in … [Read more...]

Westminster, England, Sep 30, 2014 / 01:48 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Bishop John Arnold, who was appointed Tuesday as Bishop of Salford, said that while the move will be a new experience for him, he will seek to serve his new Church in missionary discipleship. “I accept the appointment as Bishop of Salford with much trepidation but will do all I can to serve the people, priests, and religious of the Church of this Diocese as we all seek to respond to Pope Francis’ call to be … [Read more...]

Vatican City, Sep 30, 2014 / 12:09 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The Holy See has rejected the United Nations' Committee on the Rights of the Child's call for changes to canon law, and has formally criticized the group for a “grave misunderstanding” of the Holy See's sovereignty. In a response released Sept. 26, the Holy See delivered its comments on the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of Child. In January, the Committee had discussed the written … [Read more...]

Vatican City, Sep 30, 2014 / 09:13 am (CNA/EWTN News).- In his homily on Tuesday Pope Francis said complaining to God in times of suffering can be a prayer, but cautioned not to exaggerate our difficulties in front of those undergoing major tragedies. “Our life is too easy, our complaints are overdramatized,” the pontiff told those in the Vatican’s Saint Martha house in his Sept. 30 daily Mass. “Faced with the complaints of so many people, of so many brothers and … [Read more...]

Vatican City, Sep 30, 2014 / 05:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The schedule of liturgical celebrations over which Pope Francis will preside in October is mainly booked with events surrounding the synod of bishops, which culminates with the beatification of Pope Paul VI. According to the schedule released by the Vatican on Sept. 26, Pope Francis will begin the month of October by kicking off the highly anticipated synod of bishops on the family with an Oct. 4 prayer vigil to be held in St. … [Read more...]

Washington D.C., Sep 30, 2014 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Hundreds of advocates gathered Sept. 25 in Washington, D.C., to pray for the release of American pastor Saeed Abedini, who has now been imprisoned in Iran for the past two years. At the prayer vigil, Abedini’s wife read from a letter in which the imprisoned pastor reassured his 8-year-old daughter that “ Lord Jesus Christ is in control,” and expressed his wish that she “learn important lessons during these … [Read more...]